Mona Mahamed – Community Support Services Incorporated

Mona Mahamed is a mother of six children, living in Bankstown, Sydney. Mona is of Egyptian heritage and was born and raised in Australia.

Mona’s passions for making a difference and helping people led her to found Community Support Services Incorporated in January 2018. Community Support Services is a social enterprise aiming to help vulnerable individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds, providing engaging programs and a platform for social cohesion, particularly for those from CALD nationalities.

Mona created a one-stop-shop for the community of Canterbury/Bankstown district by offering referral services including educational seminars, case management, financial assistance, youth education and support services, the Meal Train addressing food insecurity and ‘The Village’ radio program, broadcast by Mona herself. ‘The Village’ comes from the proverb ‘It takes a village to raise a child’, reviving the concept of being in a supportive village and giving a sense of cohesion for those who need it most.

With over 30 volunteers contributing to Community Support Services Incorporated initiatives, Mona says “We hope to open avenues to train women and youth alike to become financially independent by providing pathways to get them into the workforce and to grow nationally or even internationally, touching as many people as possible, creating a positive ripple effect – thriving, not just surviving!”.